When I first became interested in handbags, hobos were huge. I mean that both literally and figuratively; not only was the style super popular, but the most popular versions were enormous. A recent wave of hobos from The Row harkens back to those days (The Olsen twins were, of course, infamous for carrying bags big enough to live in during those years), and it has me feeling pleasantly nostalgic for the mid-2000s.

There’s a lot from that era that needs to stay in the past: low-rise jeans, track suits with things written across the butt, barrel-curled hair extensions. Huge hobos are, arguably, on that list. For one thing, they’re black holes made portable, with the ability to gobble up and hide forever anything you put inside. If that’s your stance, I get it. I just don’t agree.

Hobos are great casual bags, and with the right minimalist rendering from a brand like The Row or Céline, they might even feel fresh again. After all, we’ve all see enough bucket bags, saddle bags, micro bags and wannabe Birkins to last us a while; the time feels right for a new structure to ascend. If a brand can come through with exactly the right version to capture the hearts and minds of the public, at least. That The Row seems committed to hobos is good news for people like me, though; the brand was way ahead of the curve on that whole backpack thing.